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Old 14-03-2014, 11:39 AM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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Default Togston Woodhouses

My grandmother was born at Togston Woodhouses in 1879, the oldest child, not that the family stayed anywhere for very long in the early years of their marriage. By 1881 they were in Henderson's Buildings in Amble. She was born in April of that year and the Alnwick Rural Sanitary Authority received a report from their Medical Officer of Health in December of that year, reported in the Alnwick Mercury of 20 December:
"The wooden cottages at Togston designed about 40 years ago for the accommodation of miners and their families, are 12, and under one continuous roof, six of them facing northward and the others towards the south. They have each a single room, with an unceiled loft above, and a small pantry projected outwards. At this season especially, they are very cold, their uneven brick floors being half a foot or more below the adjacent soil their outer walls thin and dilapidated, and the roofs of all of them are more or less defective. They are without any outside accommodation their windows are not made to open, and their water is chiefly derived from a trough on the roadside lying several feet below the surface, surrounded and fed by drains whose supply becomes exhausted in dry weather, and is liable to contamination by rats and other impurities. At the time of my visit eight of these cottages were occupied; one of them had been converted into a blacksmith's shop, another of these was empty, and a third was closed till the arrival of new tenants who were immediately expected, and a fourth was about to be vacated by one of the occupants for more comfortable quarters.
It was resolved that the Clerk write to the owner and lessee and send to each a copy of the above report, with a view to the present state of things being remedied."

The amazing thing was that anybody survived!

Last edited by janwhin; 14-03-2014 at 05:36 PM.
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Old 14-03-2014, 12:03 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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In January 1882 the Medical Officer of Health made a further report to the Authority, reported in the Alnwick Mercury of 21 January:
"Measles and whooping cough are at Togston Woodhouses, which have had no improvements in any way commensurate with their requirements effected in them since about two years ago I made a report on their condition. The high winds have done some additional damage to their roofs; the raised ground around them has become somewhat more saturated with impurity. They have all the sanitary defects formerly noticed, and unless a vigorous attempt be shortly made to deliver them from impending ruin, it may become my duty to advise the closing of them for human habitation."

That must be as bad as it gets for a doctor, somewhat frustrated .

Last edited by janwhin; 14-03-2014 at 05:44 PM.
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Old 14-03-2014, 07:45 PM
Derilda Derilda is offline
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Question Re: Togston woodhouses

Thanks for your two pieces about Togston woodhouses Janwhin. You have now whetted my curiosity. Where were these houses situated? I can only guess that they were near to Little Togston as there was a mine in an adjacent field, but could be guessing miles out. Prior to the opencast there was a gutter which ran from the cottages to under the Broomhill/Amble railway. It wasn't exactly pleasant to sit beside.
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Old 14-03-2014, 10:54 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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I'm not really sure of their position Derilda. I can remember coming round on the service bus towards Togston and my dad saying that was where his grandfather had lived at one time. But I can recall stone cottages there I think (and it could have been his other grandad!).
If I was coming into Togston from Amble, passing the road off left to Togston Barns, there were some single storey cottages just before the big bend right into Togston Crescent. I always thought that was where Woodhouses were and maybe replaced by a stone build.
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Old 15-03-2014, 12:39 PM
Derilda Derilda is offline
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Default Re: Togston Woodhouses

Quote:
Originally Posted by janwhin View Post
I'm not really sure of their position Derilda. I can remember coming round on the service bus towards Togston and my dad saying that was where his grandfather had lived at one time. But I can recall stone cottages there I think (and it could have been his other grandad!).
If I was coming into Togston from Amble, passing the road off left to Togston Barns, there were some single storey cottages just before the big bend right into Togston Crescent. I always thought that was where Woodhouses were and maybe replaced by a stone build.
Thanks Janwhin. That was exactly where I was thinking of, but have nothing available to prove/disprove. All I do know is that the stone cottages were primitive build and could well have been replacements.
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Old 15-03-2014, 03:02 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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I know what you mean, I've been casting round trying to find an old map of the district but so far no luck. Woodhorn will probably have some in their big map drawers but I couldn't find anything in their catalogue.

You never know, Coquet might magic one from somewhere
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Old 15-03-2014, 03:25 PM
Alan J. Alan J. is offline
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Default Togston Woodhouses.

I believe the houses on the sharp bend were called "Little Togston", this came from my father who was born and bred in Togston Terrace. It is feasable to think they were a replacement for the woodhouses, but as you say they were in poor condition and were demolished because of this, possibly late 1960's.
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Old 15-03-2014, 03:30 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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I knew Coquet wouldn't let us down, this map is from another thread about Togston colliery.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg togston map 1890s.jpg (68.0 KB, 49 views)
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Old 15-03-2014, 03:31 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan J. View Post
I believe the houses on the sharp bend were called "Little Togston", this came from my father who was born and bred in Togston Terrace. It is feasable to think they were a replacement for the woodhouses, but as you say they were in poor condition and were demolished because of this, possibly late 1960's.
Alan, my memory of the stone cottages were that they faced you before you got to the bend. The map would suggest that Woodhouses was after the bend.
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Old 15-03-2014, 03:53 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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Old Togston Colliery went up for auction in Newcastle on 5 December 1843. The Journal of 2 December carried the details:
"....current going colliery known by the name of the Old Togston Colliery, with all the seam and seams of coal (which has been pronounced first rate coal for steam purposes) contained in the Royalty under a surafce of one hundred and fifteen acres, and comprising one seam 4 1/2 feet, at present working at a depth of twenty two fathoms from the surface; and one of 5 1/2 feet thickness, or thereabouts, lying at a further depth of eleven fathoms, of very superior quality, and which has already been proved. Several other seams lie below the above named seams, but have not hitherto been fully proved.
Immediately below the present working seam is a four feet thick seam of pure fire clay, of the finest quality, and free from iron. The colliery engine is nearly new, and of sixteen horse power, and the whole of the pumps, gears &c. are in the best possible working order and condition. A convenient staith for shipment has been recently erected.
There are twelve colliery houses for workmen, each containing a large room and attic"
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Old 15-03-2014, 04:29 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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Serious stuff in this report on 1 September 1856 in the Alnwick Mercury:-

"Robert Moseley of Togston Woodhouses, pitman, was convicted of a violent assault upon Elizabeth Smith, of Broomhill, under the idea that she had damaged his scallion bed, and he was fined £10, including costs, and in default of payment to be committed to hard labour for three calendar months."

And the moral of this story.....never mess with a pitman's scallions
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Old 28-04-2014, 04:16 PM
Maggie Maggie is offline
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Default Re: Togston Woodhouses

Alan J is right - the houses on the sharp bend were called 'Little Togston', and were a row of three or four cottages. My Uncle Joe Bell used to live there before they were demolished in the 1960s.
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